Actuating mechanism for washing-machines.



A. W. ALTOR-FEFL ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14. I916.-

Patented Oct. 2,1917.

A. w. ALTORFER. ACTUAT ING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14. I916.

Patented Oct. 2,1917.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALPHEUS W. ALTORFEB, OF PEOBIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR "IUALTORFER BROS. COM- PANY, -,0F EAST PEORIA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

AG'IUATING MECHANISM FOR WASHING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 14, 1916. Serial No. 78,140.

elements of which comprise a vertically movable member, which during the raising.

and lowering of the same, is rotated first in one direction and then in the opposite direction. 7

One of the objects of the present invention is to construct the washing elementrin the form of a pounder the same being provided with a valve so't at after the pounder has been lowered and when it is being elevated, a vacuum is created to lift the clothes,

the operating means for saidpounder during the'lowering and raising of the same, rotating it first in one direction and then in the opposite direction.

The invention has for afurther object, to provide ina washing machine, a reciprocatory rotary washing element andmeans for operating the same to reciprocate it, and during such reciprocation, to rotate it first in one direction and then in the opposite direction; said operating means including an operating lever and connectionsbetween said lever and'washing' element for reciproeating the same, and other connectionsbetween said lever and said washing element for impartingintermittent rotary movement in opposite directions thereto,during the reciprocation thereof.

The invention has for a further objectto provide in a washing machine, a-reciprocatory rotary washing element, and means for operating the same, said means including connections with the washing element which will simultaneously reciprocateand intermittently rotate the same in opposite directions; and gearing connected with said operating means, said gearing adapted to operate a balance or fly wheel, which; will rotate continuously during the operation of the operating means, said gearing, balance or fly wheel, operating means and washin element being mounted upon the hinged cover or lid of the machine.

That the invention may be more readily understood, reference is had to the accompanylng drawings forming part of the present invention, in which Figure 1 is a sectional view of a part of l the hinged lid or cover for a washing ma- Patented 00132, 1917.

chine, showing my improvements supported thereon, parts being broken away and other partsbeing shown'in dotted lines; in the posltlon shown, the washing element is in 'an elevated position;

Fig. 2 is a' view of the washing element and operating means therefor, somewhat similar to Fig. 1, with the exception that parts have been omitted and the washing element is shown in cross section and in'its lowermost position;

Fig. Bis a view similar to Fig. 2, with the exception that the washing element is omitted and vthe o crating means is inthe position intermedlate the position of the parts shown inrFigs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 vis-a cross section in'plan, of the parts as they are shown in Fig. 3, and with the balance or flywheel connected;

Fig. 5 isavertical sectional detail of the shaft on which the washing element is cartied and the driving connections between the operating means and said shaft;

Fig. 6 is a perspective yiew of a casting in which the shaft supporting the washing element, is carried, said casting servin as a guide during the rasing and lowering of the shaft and upon which is slidably mounted the head shown in Fig. 7, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view ofa head' Like characters of reference denote corresponding pa'rts throughout the'figures.

In the drawings, no attempt is made to illustrate the construction of the washing machine proper, as this construction is well known andunderstoodby those'skilled in the art. For purposes of illustration, only a portion of the hinge lid or cover of the machine is shown which supports the operating parts of the machine, and when the lid or cover is lowered, the washing element is in operative position, and when the lid or cover is raised, the same is in inoperative position; that is, with respect to the interior of the washing machine.

1 designates the lid or cover of the machine in which is provided the centrally disposed opening 2 through which is carried, the operating shaft 3. @n the lid or cover 1 of the machine are adapted to be secured the sections 4 and 5 of a casing in which are contained the movable parts of the operating mechanism which are employed for actuating the shaft 3, said sections being adapted to be bolted or otherwise suitably secured together, and said sections being preferably of the formation shown in Figs' 1, 2, 3 and 4. The section 4 has a bearing 6 disposed within the opening 2 of the lid or cover 1 andin said bearing is journaled the shaft 3 which is adapted to move therethrough, and saidshaft is also journaled in a bearing 7 in the upper portion of said section 4 and to have movement therethrough.

()n the lower end of the shaft 3 is secured a washing element 8, preferably of the pounder type; that is, said element is semispherical in shape, see Fig. 2, and is formed with the boss 9 for securing'the same to the lower end of the shaft 3. The wall of said element 8 is provided with openings 10, covered by cone shaped members 11, for pur poses which will be explained. Said element is further provided in its upper portion with openings 12 and extending transversely of the element 8 and located between the openings 10 and 12 is a partition 13, having the opening 14, said opening being normally closed by a valve plate 15 loosely resting on the partition 13. In operation, when the shaft 3 is lowered, the element 8 will pass through the water and depress the clothes, the water and some air will pass through the openings 10, but a large porti n of the air will be forced up through te opening 14 in the partition 13, raising the valve 15, and the air will be allowed to escape through the opening 12. When the shaft 3 is raised, the valve 15 will close the opening 14 and create a vacuum, tending to lift the clothes with said washing element. The purpose of the cone shaped members on the element 8 is to provide projections which menses will not only agitate the water as the element is oscillated with the shaft 3, but will also move the clothes in the water.

Carried on the shaft 3, is the hub or bearing 16 of a cast-ing 17. The body portion of the casting is of considerable length, extending cross-wise of the hub or bearing 16, as shown in Fig. 6, and provided with bear ing portions 18 at its opposite ends adapte to engage and slide upon correspondingl shaped surfaces in the section 4 to guide the casting 17 in its movement down and up, in said section 4. The shaft 3 rotates in the bearing portion 16 of said casting 17 and as a'preferred way of carrying said casting on said shaft, cotter or other suitable pins 16 are passed through the shaft 3 above and below the bearing 16 to hold it in position during the rotation of the shaft, and to permit the casting to be raised and lowered with said shaft. Slidably carried to move forward and back on said casting 17 and across the shaft 3 to which said casting is secured, is a head 18, see Fig. 7, said head being formed with the slotted way 19 to receive the body of the casting 17 on which it slides. The hub or bearing'20 carries a stub shaft 21 of a gear wheel 22, and encircling said hub or hearing 20, is a sleeve 23 formed onone end of an arm or bar 24, and depending from and secured to said head 18, is a yoke 25 having a vertically disposed opening 26 in which is carried a vertical portion 27 of a rod, the horizontal portion 28 of which passes through and has movement in an opening 29 extending transversely through the shaft 3. The gear wheel 22 is carried on a shaft 30 which is journaled in an elongated bearing 31 extending laterally from the section 5 ofthe casing, and meshing with said gear wheel is a pinion 32 carried on the inner'end of a shaft 33 which is journaled in an elongated'bearing 34 extending laterally from the section 5 of the casing, see Fig. 4, and on the outer end of said shaft 33 is carried a balance or fly wheel 35. In Fig. 4 the shaft 33 is shown having a roller bearing 36, the purposes of which are Well understood.

When the parts which have been previously described, are assembled in the manner shown in Fig. 4, the sections 4 and 5 of the casing will retain the same in an operative position as shown, and to remove any of the parts or to gain access to the same, all that is necessary is to remove the section 5 of the casing, which Will detach the gearing from the armor bar 24 and allow the same to be removed, if desired.

The arm or bar 24 passes out of the easing through a vertically disposed slot 36, in the section 5, see Fig. 4, and said arm or bar 24 is pivotally connected at 37 with the casting 38 and sald casting 38 has a pivotal connection at 39 with the bracket 40 secured to the lid or cover 1 of the machine. Said casting 38 is formed with sockets 41 and 42 in which may be inserted an operators handle or rod 43 to oscillate said casting 38.

cated, the head 18' is moved forward and back on the casting l7 and during such movement, because of the connection between said head 18 with the short shaft 21 and the gear wheel 22, the gear wheel will be rotated and as it is rotated, the casting 17 will be raised and lowered, and because of the connection between the casting l7 and the shaft 3, said shaft will be raised and lowered for the puropse of elevating and lowering the washing element 8 in the washing machine. -Throughthe connection of the rod 28 between the yoke 25 of the head 18 and the shaft 3, as the head is moved forward and back on the casting 17 and across the shaft 3 said rod will be reciprocated through the shaft, and at the same time, oscillate it first in one direction and then in the opposite direction,-such movement occurring simultaneously, as will be understood, with the raisingand lowering of theshaft 3 and the washing element 8, The'rotation' of the gear wheel 22 will impart movement to the shaft 33 through the pinion 32 and continuously rotate. the balance wheel 35, for purposes whichwill be understood.

What I claim is:

,1. In a 'machine of. the character de scribed, in combination, a washmg element, a shaft to operatesaid element, a castmg carried on said shaft, a rotatable member, a head slidable on said casting, means con-- nected to said rotatable member and said head to rotate said member and simultaneously'reciprocate said head on said casting, the rotation of said member raising and lowering said casting and said shaft, and connections between said shaft'and said head adapted to oscillate said shaft during the reciprocation ofsaid head.

2. In a machine of he character described, in combination, a casing. a washing element, a shaft to operatesaid element, said shaft being reciprocally and rotatably journaled in said casing,'a casting carried on said shaft and having bearingv members adapted to move on the walls of said casing to guide said casting as the same is reciprocated with said shaft, a rotatable member, a head slidable on said casting, means connected to said rotatable member and said head to rotate said member and simultaneously reciprocate said head on said casting, the rotation of said member raising and lowering said casting and said shaft, and connections between said shaft and said head ada'ptedto oscillate said shaft during the reciprocation of said head.

3. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a washing element, a shaft to operate said element, a casting carried by said shaft, a rotatable member, a balance wheel operated by said member, a head s'lidable on said casting, means connected to said rotatable member and said head to rotate said member and simultaneously reciprocate said head onsaid casting, the rotation of said member raising and lowering said casting andsaid shaft, and connections between said shaft and said head adapted to oscillate said shaft during the reciprocation of-said head.

4.. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a washing element, a shaft to operate said element, a casting carried onsaid shaft, said shaft being rotatable in said casting and said shaft and casting adapted to be moved together in. the direction of the length of said shaft, a rotatable, member, a head 'slidable on said castmg, a lever, operating connections between said lever and said rotatable member and between said lever and said head, whereby whenvsai'd lever is operated said head will slide on said casting while atthe same time said rotatablemember is revolved, and connections between said head and said shaft -to oscillate the shaft during the sliding scribed, in combination,-a washing element,

a shaft to operate said element, 'a casting on said shaft a rotatable member, a head slidable on sald casting, a lever, an operating bar connected to said lever and connections betweensaid bar and said head and between said'bar and said rotatable mem: her, the rotation of said member raising and lowering said casting and said shaft, and a rod connected to said head and having a slidable connection with said shaft, said rod adapted to oscillate said shaft during the reciprocation of said head.

6. In a machine of the character described, in combination a washing element, a shaft to operate sai element, a. casting having a bearing to receive said shaft, means to hold thecasting on'said shaft to allow the shaft to rotatein the bearing of said casting and for insuring the shaft reciprocating with said casting, a head having a slotted-way to receive said casting and to mamas permit said head to slide on said casting, means for reciprocating said head on said casting and to raise and lower said shaft, and means operated by said head to oscillate said shaft.

7. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a Washing element, a shaft to rotate said element, a casting carried on said shaft, :1 head slidable on said casting, said head having a bearing, a gear 10 Wheel having a shaft journaled in the hearing on said head, a balance Wheel geared to said gear Wheel, a bar having a sleeve journaled on the bearing of said head, a lever for operating said bar, a rod having a 15 pivoted connection with said head and a slidable connection with said shaft.

ALPHEUS W. ALTORFER. 

